Description
Between 1830 and 1832 Lear published a series of highly coloured lithographs in Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae or Parrots, recorded from life of the birds found in the Regent’s Park Zoo. These helped establish Lear’s reputation as a natural history painter and during the 1830s, he became highly sought after, working on many of the great ornithological publications of the period. At the same time, between 1832 and 1837, he was based for long periods, at Knowsley; employed by Lord Stanley to record the thousands of birds and animals at his menagerie.
The present work was drawn at Surrey Zoological Gardens in April 1832. They were set up by Edward Cross in 1829 in the grounds of Walworth Manor, near Kennington. For a number of years, the Surrey Zoo proved more popular than its rival in Regent’s Park, despite it being less easily accessible. Cross, an affable character, was more than happy to allow Lear to study his collection.
The King Vulture is a native to Central and South America, found in lowland forests, as far afield as southern Mexico and northern Argentina. Although highly finished, this watercolour does not appear to have been engraved.
Inscription
Signed lower left: E. Lear del., dated lower right: April. 1832. and inscribed lower centre: Sarcoramphus papa (Linn.)/Drawn from life at the/Surrey Zoological Gardens
Image Licence
All Rights Reserved
Image Credit
image © Guy Peppiatt Fine Art
Location
Pasley Park, London, England
Country
England
Tags
Category
Flora & Fauna
TWW Comment
Surrey Zoological Garden was part of the Royal Surrey Gardens. The gardens were sold for the development of residential buildings in 1877. Surrey Gardens re-opened as a much smaller public park in the 1980s, called Pasley Park. Wikipedia
